Vitaly Ignatiev met with the Ambassador at Large of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Valery Zhovtenko

03/20/17

A meeting of the PMR’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Vitaly Ignatiev with the special representative of Ukraine in the negotiation process, Ambassador-at-Large Valery Zhovtenko was held in the Foreign Ministry.

Welcoming the guests, Vitaly Ignatyev stressed the importance of Ukraine’s attention as a guarantor country and mediator to the current situation within the negotiation process, as well as to the problems of bilateral relations between Moldova and Pridnestrovie in general. At the same time, the Foreign Minister of the PMR noted the continuing negative movements in the dialogue of the parties, related to the low effectiveness of interaction both at the level of political representatives and within the meetings of expert (working) groups.

“This year certain negative inertia has continued. In fact, only five expert (working) groups met, only two meetings of political representatives took place without practical results. In this context, the efforts of our international partners, mediators, guarantors and observers in the negotiation process are very significant in order to promote dynamism in our dialogue” – noted Vitaly Ignatiev.

“There are initiatives and proposals of Pridnestrovie at the technical level on almost all issues within 11 expert (working) groups, but there is no political will and desire from the Moldovan side to move forward. That is why it is important for the mechanism of the negotiation process to be fully employed in order to give the necessary political impetus to the solution of existing problems” – the diplomat pointed out, commenting on the results of the meeting to journalists.

The Foreign Minister also stressed that new challenges and threats arise over time in addition to the long-standing problems in the relations between Pridnestrovie and Moldova. The Pridnestrovian side is especially concerned about the intentions of Moldova and Ukraine to organize joint customs and border control at the Kuchurgan checkpoint with the financial support of the European Union.

According to the diplomat, at the meeting the Pridnestrovian side informed Ukrainian colleagues about possible negative consequences of this decision in the trade and economic sphere, in the field of free movement, and also in the part of regional security. “Today we have talked about this problem in great detail, informed the Ukrainian side about possible negative challenges and results of this decision. I hope that we have been heard and that within the framework of our political dialogue we will be able to discuss this issue at the upcoming meeting of the 5+2 negotiation format” – he said.

“We also took the initiative to hold bilateral consultations with our Ukrainian counterparts” – Vitaly Ignatiev said to the mass media.